China’s construction of oil rigs and artificial islands in the East Sea were illegal, an international seminar was told in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday.

About two hundred Vietnamese and foreign experts from international institutes and universities in the United States, Russia, Japan and the Philippines attended the function.

They said China’s actions had adversely impacted peace, security, economies, trade and the marine environment.

Professor Dr. Mai Hong Quy, Rector of the HCM City University of Law, said maintaining an environment of stability, co-operation and development in the Asia-Pacific – and the East Sea in particular – was critical to ensuring peace, maritime and aviation security, and freedom.

He added that this was also an obligation and responsibility by countries in the region and the world.

Quy said that after positioning an oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, China had constructed large-scale artificial islands in seven places in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.